On 9 June 2011, Vice MinisterZhang Laiwu met with Mr. Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and his delegation.

Zhang welcomed Mr. Gates’ delegation and applauded the Gates Foundation’s contribution to global poverty reduction and charity. He also briefed the delegation on the approaches, practices and trends of rural poverty alleviation in China, especially rural scientific and technological innovation, rural business startups by Technical Task Force (TTF) and the application of information technology. During the meeting, Mr. Gates commended China’s innovation capability in science and technology, and expressed his hope to cooperate with the MOST in agriculture, bio-industry and other fields to make best use of the respective strengths of the two sides, bring in the best scientists, and work for a joint solution to world poverty.